Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV
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Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV (Siaosi Tāufaʻāhau Tupoulahi; 4 July 1918 – 10 September 2006) was King of Tonga from 1965 until his death in 2006. He was the tallest and heaviest Tongan monarch, weighing and measuring .


Early life and career

He was born to Viliami Tungī Mailefihi and Queen Sālote Tupou III. His full baptismal name was Siaosi Tāufaʻāhau Tupoulahi, but he became better known by the noble title Tupoutoʻa, which was bestowed upon him in 1935 and was subsequently reserved for crown princes of Tonga. This title was supplemented by the one he inherited from his father, Tungī (or using both: Tupoutoʻa Tungī; archaic spelling: Tuboutoʻa Tugi). He kept the Tungī title until his death. From a traditional point of view he was not only the Tungī, which is the direct descendant from the Tuʻi Haʻatakalaua, but he was also, on becoming king, the 22nd Tuʻi Kanokupolu. The link with the Tuʻi Tonga line, however, was more indirect. He was not a Tuʻi Tonga in his own right (the office having gone over into the Kalaniuvalu line), but his grandmother Lavinia Veiongo (wife of George Tupou II) was the great-granddaughter of Laufilitonga, the last Tuʻi Tonga, and his wife Halaevalu Mataʻaho (not to be confused with the King's wife of the same name and same family), who was the daughter of Tupou ʻAhomeʻe, who was the daughter of Lātūfuipeka, the Tamahā (sister of the Tuʻi Tonga). By consequence, his children all descended from the bloodlines of the three major historical royal dynasties of Tonga. He was educated first at Tupou College, then continued his studies at
Newington College Newington College is a multi-campus Independent school, independent Uniting Church in Australia, Uniting Church Single-sex education, single-sex and Mixed-sex education, co-educational Pre-school education, early learning, Primary school, primar ...
in Australia. He thereafter studied law at
Sydney University The University of Sydney (USYD) is a public university, public research university in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in both Australia and Oceania. One of Australia's six sandstone universities, it was one of the ...
while residing at Wesley College. His graduation from Sydney University was described as the first of any Tongan. In 1943, the crown prince was appointed minister of education by Queen Sālote. He additionally served as minister of health, agriculture, communications and foreign affairs, and became
prime minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...
in 1949. During his tenure as education minister, he initiated reforms to standardise the Tongan alphabet and in 1959, his government approved the publication of a bilingual Tongan-English dictionary. He also supervised the establishment of the '' Tonga Chronicle'' and the Tonga Broadcasting Commission. In 1964, Tungī visited the United Kingdom for negotiations regarding the future independence of Tonga. He requested that the
Colonial Office The Colonial Office was a government department of the Kingdom of Great Britain and later of the United Kingdom, first created in 1768 from the Southern Department to deal with colonial affairs in North America (particularly the Thirteen Colo ...
grant Tonga permission to appoint its own diplomats to Britain and the United States. The British government declined due to cost concerns.


Reign

Tungī ascended the throne on 16 December 1965, following the death of his mother. He continued negotiating with the UK to arrange Tonga's transition to a sovereign state within the
Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the 15th century. Originally a phrase (the common-wealth ...
. His coronation took place on 4 July 1967, his 49th birthday, at the royal chapel in
Nukuʻalofa Nukualofa ( , ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Tonga. It is located on the north coast of the island of Tongatapu, in the country's southernmost island group. History First western records of Nukualofa On 10 June 1777, British ...
, in a service that combined Methodist and traditional Tongan customs. The coronation was attended by international dignitaries including the
Duke of Kent Duke of Kent is a title that has been created several times in the peerages of Great Britain and the United Kingdom, most recently as a royal dukedom for the fourth son of King George V. Since 1942, the title has been held by Prince Edwa ...
and New Zealand Prime Minister Keith Holyoake. On 4 June 1970, he presided over a ceremony marking the end of the British protectorate over Tonga and its transition to a sovereign state. He visited many far-flung countries during his reign and modernised Tonga's contact with the outside world. In the 1980s, Tāufaʻāhau adopted a tone of appeasement towards France in its Pacific nuclear tests at Moruroa, which were publicly criticised by other Pacific countries. He visited Moruroa twice and was invited by Gaston Flosse to visit
Tahiti Tahiti (; Tahitian language, Tahitian , ; ) is the largest island of the Windward Islands (Society Islands), Windward group of the Society Islands in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France. It is located in the central part of t ...
. When he was questioned by a journalist on his view, the king said that "if France considered he tests"necessary for its defence it was a choice which must be respected". Towards the end of his reign, increasing authoritarianism within Tonga's essentially aristocratic system of government, coupled with the influence of the monarchy and nobles in politics and the economy, led to the formation of a pro-democracy movement in Tonga. The king himself had dismissed calls for democratisation of the political system, pointing to political crises in neighbouring Fiji. His involvement in an investment scandal in 2001, involving his American financial advisor Jesse Bogdonoff, attracted much media attention; the fact he had previously appointed Bogdonoff the official
court jester A jester, also known as joker, court jester, or fool, was a member of the household of a nobleman or a monarch kept to entertain guests at the royal court. Jesters were also travelling performers who entertained common folk at fairs and town ma ...
, though likely only done as a joke for Bogdonoff's birthday on 1 April (
April Fools' Day April Fools' Day or April Fool's Day (rarely called All Fools' Day) is an annual custom on the 1st of April consisting of practical jokes, hoaxes, and pranks. Jokesters often expose their actions by shouting "April Fool " at the recipient. ...
), compounded the scandal's embarrassment. In 2003, another controversy emerged when his government banned an independent newspaper, the '' Times of Tonga'' published in
New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...
, and later attempted to amend the constitution to restrict
freedom of the press Freedom of the press or freedom of the media is the fundamental principle that communication and expression through various media, including printed and electronic Media (communication), media, especially publication, published materials, shoul ...
in response to the country's chief justice ruling against the ban. The following year,
Reporters Without Borders Reporters Without Borders (RWB; ; RSF) is an international non-profit and non-governmental organisation, non-governmental organization headquartered in Paris, which focuses on safeguarding the right to freedom of information. It describes its a ...
named him a
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, a move which was criticised by the owner of another independent newspaper in Tonga. In 2005, the government spent several weeks negotiating with striking civil service workers before reaching a settlement. The king's nephew,
ʻUluvalu Sione ʻUluvalu Ngū Takeivūlai Tukuaho (7 October 1950 – 5 July 2006 (6 July in Tonga)) became the Tui Pelehake, an hereditary title in the kingdom of Tonga, after the death of his father in 1999. As his father was the brother of King Tā ...
(the 6th
Tuʻipelehake The Tuʻipelehake (or Tuʻi Pelehake to be more consistent with similar titles, like Tuʻi Tonga, Tuʻi Haʻatakalaua and Tuʻi Kanokupolu) is one of the highest ranking chiefly titles in Tonga. In the absence of the ancient Tuʻi Faleua title, t ...
), served as mediator. A constitutional commission presented a series of recommendations for constitutional reform to the King a few weeks before his death.


Illness and death

Tupou IV suffered from heart and age-related problems in his final years, which necessitated medical care at the Mercy Hospital in
Auckland Auckland ( ; ) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. It has an urban population of about It is located in the greater Auckland Region, the area governed by Auckland Council, which includes outlying rural areas and ...
, New Zealand. He returned to Tonga intermittently, with his last such visit being in early July 2006 for his 88th birthday. On 15 August 2006, Tongan Prime Minister
Feleti Sevele Feleti Vakaʻuta Sevele, Lord Sevele of Vailahi (born 7 July 1944) is a Tongan politician who served as the prime minister of Tonga from 30 March 2006 to 22 December 2010. Biography Early life Lord Sevele was born in Maʻufanga, Nukuʻalofa. H ...
interrupted radio and television broadcasts to announce the king was gravely ill and to ask the 104,000 people of the island chain to pray for their monarch. He died on 10 September at 23:34
NZST Time in New Zealand is divided by law into two standard time zones. The main islands use New Zealand Standard Time (NZST), 12 hours in advance of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) / military M (Mike), while the outlying Chatham Islands use C ...
at the Mercy Hospital, after reigning for nearly 41 years, making him the fourth longest-serving head of state at the time. The Queen and his daughter Princess Pilolevu were reportedly by his bedside at his death. He was succeeded by his eldest son,
George Tupou V George Tupou V (Siaosi Tāufaʻāhau Manumataongo Tukuʻaho Tupou; 4 May 194818 March 2012) was King of Tonga from 2006 until his death in 2012. He was the eldest son of King Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV. After ascending the throne, George Tupou ann ...
. Following his death, Tonga entered a month-long period of
national mourning A national day of mourning is a day, or one of several days, marked by mourning and memorial activities observed among the majority of a country's populace. They are designated by the national government. Such days include those marking the deat ...
, with the royal family and court undergoing a longer mourning period of six months. After a period of
lying in state Lying in state is the tradition in which the body of a deceased official, such as a head of state, is placed in a state building, either outside or inside a coffin, to allow the public to pay their respects. It traditionally takes place in a ...
at his residence of ʻAtalanga in
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, his body was taken to Tonga on 13 September by a
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owned by the
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, also carrying members of the Tongan diaspora for the funeral. The king was buried on 19 September at
Malaʻekula (, alternatively spelled ) is the name given to the royal burial grounds in central Nukuʻalofa in Tonga. The monarchs of Tonga and their immediate family (wives, husbands, children) are buried there. Extended family members (cousins, nephews, ni ...
, the royal cemetery in Tongatapu. Thousands of Tongans watched the funeral, which blended Christian and ancient Polynesian burial rites. The funeral was overseen by the royal undertaker and his men, known as the . Mourners included foreign dignitaries from 23 countries, including Japanese crown prince
Naruhito Naruhito (born 23 February 1960) is Emperor of Japan. He acceded to the Chrysanthemum Throne following 2019 Japanese imperial transition, the abdication of his father, Akihito, on 1 May 2019, beginning the Reiwa era. He is the 126th monarch, ...
; Australian governor-general
Michael Jeffery Major General Philip Michael Jeffery, (12 December 1937 – 18 December 2020) was a senior Australian Army officer and vice-regal representative. He was the 28th governor of Western Australia from 1993 to 2000, and the 24th governor-genera ...
; New Zealand governor-general
Dame Silvia Cartwright Dame Silvia Rose Cartwright (née Poulter; born 7 November 1943) is a New Zealand jurist who served as the 18th governor-general of New Zealand, from 2001 to 2006. She was the second woman to hold the office, after Catherine Tizard, Dame Cather ...
and prime minister
Helen Clark Helen Elizabeth Clark (born 26 February 1950) is a New Zealand politician who served as the 37th prime minister of New Zealand from 1999 to 2008 and was the administrator of the United Nations Development Programme from 2009 to 2017. She was ...
; Fijian vice-president Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi and prime minister
Laisenia Qarase Laisenia Qarase (pronounced ; 4 February 1941 – 21 April 2020) was a Fijian politician. He served as the Prime Minister of Fiji, sixth Prime Minister of Fiji from 2000 to 2006. After Republic of Fiji Military Forces, the military quashed the 2 ...
; Vanuatu president
Kalkot Mataskelekele Kalkot Mataskelekele Mauliliu (born 24 April 1949) is a Vanuatuan politician who served as the president of Vanuatu from 16 August 2004 to 16 August 2009. Biography He was educated at Scotch College, Melbourne the University of Papua New Guinea ...
; governor of American Samoa
Togiola Tulafono Togiola Talalelei A. Tulafono (born February 28, 1947) is an American Samoan politician and lawyer who served as the sixth governor of American Samoa. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He had previously served as the seventh lieutenant gove ...
; Niue premier
Young Vivian Mititaiagimene Young Vivian (born 12 November 1935) is a Niuean politician and diplomat, who served as Premier of Niue twice, the first time from December 1992 to March 1993 following the death of Sir Robert Rex, and the second from 2002 to ...
; president of French Polynesia
Oscar Temaru Oscar Manutahi Temaru (born November 1, 1944) is a Tahitian politician. He has been the president of French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France, on five occasions: in 2004, from 2005 to 2006, from 2007 to 2008, in 2009, and from 2011 to ...
; and the
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, a cousin of Queen Elizabeth II.


Personal life and family

Tāufaʻāhau was a keen sportsman in his youth, engaging in rugby, tennis, cricket and rowing, and an admirer of
Otto von Bismarck Otto, Prince of Bismarck, Count of Bismarck-Schönhausen, Duke of Lauenburg (; born ''Otto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck''; 1 April 1815 – 30 July 1898) was a German statesman and diplomat who oversaw the unification of Germany and served as ...
. He remained a
lay preacher A lay preacher is a preacher who is not ordained (i.e. a layperson) and who may not hold a formal university degree in theology. Lay preaching varies in importance between religions and their sects. Overview Some denominations specifically disco ...
of the
Free Wesleyan Church The Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga (FWCT; Tongan language, Tongan: ''Siasi Uēsiliana Tau‘atāina ‘o Tonga'') is a List of Methodist denominations, Methodist denomination in Tonga. It is the largest Christian denomination in the nation and is ...
and in some circumstances, was empowered to appoint an acting church president. He married a distant relative,
Halaevalu Mataʻaho ʻAhomeʻe Halaevalu Mataʻaho ʻAhomeʻe (29 May 1926 – 19 February 2017) was Queen of Tonga from 1965 to 2006, as the wife of King Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV. She was the mother of King George Tupou V and the current King of Tonga, Tupou VI. Biography ...
(1926–2017), on 10 June 1947, during a double nuptial ceremony with his brother Prince
Fatafehi Tuʻipelehake Prince Fatafehi Tuʻipelehake OBE (Sione Ngū Manumataongo; 7 January 1922 – 10 April 1999) was the youngest son of Queen Sālote Tupou III of Tonga. He was the prime minister of Tonga from 1965 to 1991, a record tenure of over 25 years, ser ...
. The couple had four children: * King
George Tupou V George Tupou V (Siaosi Tāufaʻāhau Manumataongo Tukuʻaho Tupou; 4 May 194818 March 2012) was King of Tonga from 2006 until his death in 2012. He was the eldest son of King Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV. After ascending the throne, George Tupou ann ...
(Siaosi Tāufaʻāhau Manumataongo Tukuʻaho Tupou; 1948–2012), better known during his tenure as heir by the hereditary noble title Tupoutoʻa. * Princess Royal
Salote Mafileʻo Pilolevu Tuita Princess Royal Salote Mafile'o Pilolevu, The Honourable Lady Tuita ( Sālote Mafileʻo Pilolevu Tuku'aho; born on 14 November 1951) is a Tongan princess and member of the Tongan royal family. Early life and education Salote was born at the Ro ...
(; born 1951); Lady Tuita by marriage. * Prince
Fatafehi ʻAlaivahamamaʻo Tukuʻaho Prince Fatafehi ʻAlaivahamamaʻo Tukuʻaho, styled Lord Maʻatu (17 February 1954 – 17 December 2004), was a member of the Tongan royal family. Biography Prince Fatafehi ʻAlaivahamamaʻo Tukuʻaho was the second son of Tāufaʻāhau Tupou ...
(1954–2004); stripped of his title after marrying a commoner, later bestowed with the hereditary title of Māʻatu. * King
Tupou VI Tupou VI (ʻAho‘eitu ʻUnuakiʻotonga Tukuʻaho; born 12 July 1959) is King of Tonga. The youngest child of King Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV, he served as Prime Minister of Tonga from 2000 to 2006. Following his elder brother's accession to the ...
(ʻAhoʻeitu ʻUnuakiʻotonga Tukuʻaho; born 1959), known prior to his ascension to the throne by his hereditary titles: ʻUlukālala Lavaka Ata, then after his elder brother's ascension, Tupoutoʻa Lavaka. As his brother died without legitimate issue, he became king in 2012.


Weight

At one point in the 1970s, Tāufaʻāhau was the heaviest monarch in the world, weighing in at . For his visits to Germany, the German government used to commission special chairs that could support his weight. The King used to take them home, considering them as state presents. He was also very tall, standing at . Swedish shoemaker Per-Enok Kero reported that he "weighed 180 kilos and had shoe size 47 in length and 52 in breadth." In the 1990s, he took part in a national fitness campaign, losing a third of his weight. By 2003, his weight had been reduced to .


Honours


National

* Sovereign Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the
Royal Order of Pouono The Royal Order of Pouono is the highest order of chivalry in the Kingdom of Tonga. History The Order was established in 1893 by King George Tupou II. The Order of Pouono is currently considered as inactive, as King George Tupou V discontinue ...
* Sovereign Knight Grand Cross of the Order of King George Tupou I * Sovereign Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the
Order of the Crown of Tonga The Royal Order of the Crown of Tonga (''Tongan language, Tongan: Fakalangilangi 'o Kalauni 'o Tonga'') is an Order (honour), Order of Merit awarded for exceptional services to Tonga and the Crown of Tonga. Currently, it is the highest honor that ...
* Sovereign Recipient of the Royal Tongan Medal of Merit * Sovereign Recipient of the Tongan Red Cross Medal


Foreign

* : Recipient of the
Royal Medal of Recompense The Royal Medal of Recompense () is a Danish medal. Established by King Christian IX the medal is presented at the prerogative of the Monarch. Currently, it is awarded for 40 or 50 years of service to the same private employer. History The Roy ...
* : Grand Cross of the Order of the Legion of Honour * : Grand Cross of the
Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (, or , BVO) is the highest state decoration, federal decoration of the Federal Republic of Germany. It may be awarded for any field of endeavor. It was created by the first List of president ...
, Special Class * : Grand Cross of the
Order of Tahiti Nui The Order of Tahiti Nui was established on 5 June 1996 by the Assembly of French Polynesia to reward distinguished merit and achievements in the service to French Polynesia. History The Order of Tahiti Nui was established June 5, 1996 by resolut ...
(4 March 1997) * : Knight Grand Cordon with Collar of the
Order of the Chrysanthemum is Japan's highest Order (decoration), order. The Grand Cordon of the Order was established in 1876 by Emperor Meiji of Japan; the Collar of the Order was added on 4 January 1888. Unlike European counterparts, the order may be Posthumous award, ...
* : Grand Cross of the
Order of Brilliant Jade The Order of Brilliant Jade is a civilian order of the Republic of China that can be worn only by the head of a nation. According to regulations, the order can only be presented by the president of the country or an emissary expressly dispatched ...
* : Knight Grand Cross of the
Order of St Michael and St George The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince of Wales (the future King George IV), while he was acting as prince regent for his father, King George III ...
(1977) * : Knight Grand Cross of the
Royal Victorian Order The Royal Victorian Order () is a dynastic order of knighthood established in 1896 by Queen Victoria. It recognises distinguished personal service to the monarch, members of the royal family, or to any viceroy or senior representative of the m ...
(1970) * : Knight Commander of the
Most Excellent Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...
(1958) * : Bailiff Grand Cross of the
Venerable Order of Saint John The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem (), commonly known as the Order of St John, and also known as St John International, is an order of chivalry constituted in 1888 by royal charter from Queen Victoria and dedica ...
* : Recipient of the Medal of Merit of the Legion of Frontiersmen * : Recipient of the
Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal The Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal () is a commemorative medal created in 1977 to mark the 25th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's accession in 1952. The medal is physically identical in all realms where it was awarded, save for Canada ...
*
World Peace Prize The World Peace Prize was established in 1989 by Robert L. Leggett, Suzi Leggett, and Dr. Han Min Su., and was registered the same year in Washington D.C. as the "World Peace Corps Mission, World Peace Corp Academy and World Peace Prize Awarding C ...
(1997)


Namesakes

* Tonga House at
Newington College Newington College is a multi-campus Independent school, independent Uniting Church in Australia, Uniting Church Single-sex education, single-sex and Mixed-sex education, co-educational Pre-school education, early learning, Primary school, primar ...


Family tree


Notes


References


External links


Obituary of Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV with historical context

Official announcement of Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV's passing away

Website of the Tongan Monarchy

New Zealand Herald Feature Article

Recent Visit of HM King Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV to Hong Kong

The 1993 Silver Jubilee of Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV

Pacific Magazine: Thousands Turn Out For King's Funeral
, - {{DEFAULTSORT:Tupou 04, Taufaahau Tongan Methodists 1918 births 2006 deaths People educated at Newington College Monarchs of Tonga Prime ministers of Tonga People from Nukuʻalofa University of Sydney alumni Sons of queens regnant Children of prime ministers of Tonga Honorary Knights Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George Honorary Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order Honorary Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire Grand Crosses Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany Bailiffs Grand Cross of the Order of St John 20th-century monarchs in Oceania 21st-century monarchs in Oceania